A: Blame my parents. I didn’t have a choice. I mean, people want to say it’s from Texas but then it’s not spelled with an “o” ... My name was picked two days before I was born and I think it was just because I was between Dallas and Houston. Clearly, they liked those cities.

Q: Did you ever get the whole, “Houston, we have a problem” growing up?

A: I believe that was like third or fourth grade. “Apollo 13” came out and alerted all these little kids that that was actually a saying, and then I wore it after that for a little bit. But it’s fine. Made me tougher.

Q: You made your major league debut in 2005, for the Oakland As. If you could tell your younger self anything while he’s on the mound and he’s about to make that first pitch in the major leagues, what would you tell him now?

A: Just breathe. Breathe. That was the best advice that was given to me before my first outing, was just to slow everything down, because it’s gonna be going a thousand miles an hour and you’re going to think you’re going normal and then you watch the video and your pace is just crazy. Just breathe. And then I did OK.

Q: Best piece of advice someone ever gave you?

A: You’re either getting a little better or a little worse. You don’t stay the same. That was something that was told to my dad, that my dad gave to me. You don’t stay the same, so don’t waste any time.

Q: Your idea of the perfect off day?

A: Probably right now, just watching my little boy do stupid stuff. (Huston has an 18-month-old son, Ripken.) Curious stuff. He’s trying to use his bowl to unlock the door because he just saw dad unlock the door with a key, so he thinks anything unlocks a door. I find that part of life, that discovery phase, fascinating.

Q: If you could invite any three people to dinner — not family — living or dead, who would you invite?

A: Thomas Jefferson, Jesus Christ and then get someone in there just to create an argument, like Einstein or Newton or someone who just wants to throw a wrench in there.

Q: Worst habit?

A: Procrastination. If I want to do something, I’m going to do it, I’m going to get it done. ... But you know, having to call somebody back, or have that awkward conversation, I procrastinate, whether it was homework in school or now it’s turned into adult issues. I just avoid them.

Q: What’s something people don’t know about you?

A: I’ve got life all planned out. My 30s is going to be about starting to read. I don’t read right now because I just don’t have time for it. My 40s is going to be about acquiring a skill at golf. My 50s is going to be about learning to cook. My 60s is going to be about fishing.

Q: Wow. Any malleability to that?

A: Well, my kid’s schedule is going to take precedence, so ... (laughs) ... Watching them will be 10 times more fun than anything I could do on my own.